Foodie. Feminist. Wanderluster.

Why You Should Read what Everyone’s Reading

At the start of the year I read Normal People by Sally Rooney; you know the book that was dominating every high street bookshop window for a good couple of months? It was picked for my work’s book club and I was so down for it. It looked right up my street and I’d seen so many people raving about it. Surprisingly, I wasn’t the biggest fan. I liked it but I didn’t love it and I had a lot of issues with it.

My thoughts on Normal People put me off the pile of books beside my bed that are most certainly books every bookworm has read or is reading. But while I could list a bunch of reasons as to why you shouldn’t read the books decorating Waterstone’s shop window, that isn’t going to help me get through my TBR pile. So here are some reasons you SHOULD read would everyone and their dog is reading.

But, first… here are some of my favourite books that everyone has read from the last year:

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

This is Going to Hurt by Adam McKay

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

1. The curiosity

At the end of the day, the curiosity will always get the better of me… Hopefully it doesn’t kill this Kat though. If everyone is Instagramming a book or reading it on the train, you’re going to want to get involved. Even if you don’t like it, it’s popular for a reason. Although I wasn’t the biggest Normal People fangirl, I got a lot from it. I learnt a lot and it definitely made me have a good think.

2. The conversation

If everyone at work or in your friendship group has read whatever book is the current craze, you are guaranteed some cracking conversation if you pick it up too. Despite my average feels for Normal People, our book club evening had some really interesting conversation points and it was awesome to see everyone’s different views. When I read This is Going to Hurt last year, I was always finding out people had read it and we’d share our favourite funny tales that Adam McKay told in his book.

3. Maybe they’ve got a point

Maybe if your mum, best friend and work colleague love it, it’ll become your new favourite book too. I think Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is a book I forced on a lot of people but no one, so far, has regretted the choice to listen to me. It’s a real good’n and sometimes these popular books need to be raved about again and again until the whole world has absorbed them.

I’ve recently been on a book buying spree. I can’t seem to stop. (Side note: As I was finishing off this post, an Amazon delivery arrived with a new book for me in…) And this has meant I’ve been picking up a lot of books that are just about everywhere. So alongside the books pictured above, here are a few more I’ve got in the old TBR pile that are definitely in the pipeline for everyone’s Goodreads challenge this year:

Milkman by Anna Burns

The Language of Kindness by Christie Watson

Despite my half and half review of Normal People I am actually currently reading Sally Rooney’s very first book, Conversation with Friends and I am REALLY enjoying it. So I guess another reason to read what everyone is reading is that it might lead you to buying other books by that author and loving those too.

Love, Kath

P.S. Happy St Patrick’s Day. I am the biggest fan of Dublin and fully intend on exploring as much of Ireland as I can in my life. I published blog posts on day one and day two of my February trip to Dublin but realised I didn’t have too many photos from day three. It was however a lovely and long last day in mine and Aaron’s favourite place in the world and, while it’s been way over a month since our trip, I’m still missing Dublin.